Protectors-Teen wolf

Ch. 17: Young

I'm in a sports store, stocking up on bullets and checking out their knife and melee weapon section, when see Alison walk in. I see her go for the archery section as I stay at the counter, waiting for my bullets.

I watch as she spots someone and smiles. Jackson walks up to her, a smile on his face as he talks. I tone in on their conversation as they speak.

"What're you doing here?"

"Oh I thought that I'd get back into something I haven't down in a while..." she takes a breath. "What about you?"

"Oh." He holds up a lacrosse helmet. "For Danny..."

"Ma'am. Your bullets." The clerk stands there with five different bullet cases on the counter.

I sign something, paying for the bullets before smiling.

"Thank you..." I go to leave when I hear my name.

"Ms. McCall?" I turn and see Jackson and Alison both looking at me. "What're you doing here?"

"What does it look like?" I give him a look, holding up my bag. "Shopping."

I turn, walking out the door.

——

It's after dark and I'm sitting on my couch, a bowl of homemade ice cream in my hands as I watch Scooby doo with Angel. He's laughing at something scooby and shaggy are doing as I smile, taking another bite of ice cream.

"I like this show..." he smiles at me as I laugh.

"Me too."

I hear a knock at the door, startling us both. I get up, setting my bowl on the table as I walk to the door. I peak out the peep hole, seeing a leather jacket and a baseball hat.

I narrow my eyes in confusion as I turn to Angel.

"Go to my room and lock the door, only come out if I tell you too, okay?"

He nods and rushes away, taking his bowl with him. I open the door, letting Derek in before looking outside the door both ways.

"What the hell are you doing here, Derek?!" I whisper yell as I shut my door. "How did you even kn-"

"I'm sorry...I just needed to make sure you were okay..."

"Make sure that I'm okay? Derek, you are wanted for murder!?"

"I heard that you were at the school...when it happened..."

"Yeah?" I give him a confused look.

"I need you to know that I'm innocent. That I'm not the killer." He stares into my eyes, trying to get a point across.

"Derek. I haven't really talked to you in years. Why would I believe you over my own brother."

I cross my arms as he exhales, running his hand through his hair as he looks away. I watch him as he looks around my apartment, taking everything in.

"I never apologized for what I did to you...I-I regret it everyday that I can't talk to you..."

Where did that come from?

I look at the ground as I listen to him speak. He exhales as he shuffles around.

"We were young, Derek..." I finally say, not looking up from the ground. "We were playing that we were in love when we weren't...it's in the past."

His heart skips a beat at my words. He rubs the back of his neck, finally turning back around. His face stone cold as he nods his head.

"You're right. It was years ago." He doesn't meet my eyes as he speaks. "The past should stay there, right?"

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. It's my turn to face away, not wanting to show my true feelings. I can feel his eyes on me, watching my every move.

"I'm sorry about Laura...and your family... I left right before it happened..."

"I know." I can hear the strain in his voice, he goes quiet for a moment before talking. "Peter's the only survivor..."

My head snaps to him, surprise on my face.

"Peter survived?"

"Yeah..." he clenches his jaw, not meeting my eyes. "A vegetable who can't move or speak."

I sigh, exhaling as I debate on what to do. I can smell the sadness wafting off him as he stands in my living room. I feel my hand reaching out as I step towards Derek. I set it on his shoulder, squeezing it as I feel him relax at my touch.

He turns around, pulling me into a hug. I freeze for a moment, not knowing what to do. All I can smell is his sent. It suffocates me as his arms hold my waist in a tight grip.

"You still smell the same..." I hear him mumble as he tightens his grip.

I scrunch up my eyebrows as I tap his shoulder.

"That sounds creepy, Derek..."

He lets me go, a sad look on his face. He steps back and turns away, hiding his face from me again.

"Sorry...I just don't know what to do anymore..."

"You always know what to do." I say as I watch him. "You're like your mother in that aspect."

He looks over his shoulder, a small smile on his face as he looks at me.

"Thanks. I should probably get going, before I'm found and get you in trouble."

"Okay..." I say as He slips his hat back on, pulling it down to cover his face better. "Be careful..."

He smiles at me one last time before slipping out the door. I lock it behind him and head to my bedroom, opening it to find Angel sleeping on the floor by the door with a baseball bat clutched in his arms.

I smile as I bend down, gently taking it from him before getting him and tucking him in my bed. He rolls over, getting comfortable as I smile. I grab a pair of pj's and head for the bathroom, deciding to take a bath.

——

Derek's pov:

I'm sat in the same bed that we used to share, a pair of jeans all that is on me. After I stopped Scott, I came here and washed up. I hold the picture in my hands, looking at it thoughts of the past. It's a picture of a beautiful, young teen laying on my old bed, surrounded by pillows and blankets as she lays only in a t-shirt and shorts. Her face shines with happiness as she laughs at something stupid that I said.

I took this picture with my camera that she got me for my birthday. She was unaware until I showed her later. This was the night that I knew.

The night that I fell in love with Anastasia McCall.

——

A/N

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-the author